Kendrick Lamar just delivered another chart victory over Drake, as his hit single “Luther” featuring SZA holds on tight to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for an incredible eighth consecutive week.
Drake was hoping to dethrone Kendrick with his rising track “Nokia” from $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, which climbed to No. 2 — but it wasn’t enough to overtake “Luther.”
If “Nokia” had reached the top, it would’ve marked Drake’s 15th No. 1 single and his first in nearly two years since “First Person Shooter” with J. Cole.
But Kendrick’s momentum is still going strong. Originally released in November as part of his GNX album, “Luther” has dominated the charts since February, and its numbers continue to grow:
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63.1 million radio airplay impressions last week
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22.7 million on-demand streams
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2,000 in sales
Powered by a soulful sample of Cheryl Lynn and Luther Vandross, the track got another boost from the release of its official music video, which is likely to secure its spot at No. 1 for a ninth week.
Meanwhile, Drake’s “Nokia” could slip to No. 3 next week as the buzz around its own music video starts to cool off.
Still, Drake is racking up wins elsewhere. Just this month, he:
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Broke The Beatles’ record for most cumulative weeks on the Billboard 200, with over 3,348 weeks charted since 2009’s So Far Gone.
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Became the first artist to surpass 500 million RIAA-certified units across singles, albums, and features.
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Extended his lead as the most certified artist in RIAA history, beating out longtime rival Eminem.
Drake’s diamond-certified hits now include:
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“God’s Plan”
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“One Dance”
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“Hotline Bling”
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“Work” (with Rihanna)
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“Sicko Mode” (with Travis Scott)
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“Life Is Good” (with Future)
Kendrick may be ruling the singles chart for now — but Drake’s legacy continues to expand in other historic ways.
